The present invention relates to a composition for feed use comprising lyophilized live probiotic bacteria, to the use of said composition as a supplement to foodstuffs, as well as to a kit comprising two containers respectively holding a foodstuff and said composition intended for being added to said foodstuff at the moment of being consumed.
It is known that some bacteria species are considered as "probiotic", in that they perform beneficial functions for the human organism when they are present in a live and viable form in the intestinal bacterial flora.
For example some probiotic bacteria, such as the lactic bacteria specific to yoghurt (that is Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus) stimulate the immune system, produce antagonist effects against pathogenic microorganisms, improve lactose digestion, perform a lipolytic activity making fats more digestible, reduce plasmatic values of cholesterol, protect the intestinal mucosa ensuring an even assimilation of the nutritive substances, produce polysaccharides that are active on some tumors and reduce viability of some enzyme-producing microorganisms catalysing conversion of procarcinogen substances into carcinogen substances.
Other probiotic bacteria producing some of the above mentioned beneficial effects and/or contributing in a synergic manner to production of these effects and in addition producing other beneficial effects are Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum and Streptococcus faecium.
For instance, Bifidobacteria, in addition to stimulating the immune system, reduce the amounts of ammonia and cholesterol in the blood, promote absorption of minerals and exert a competitive exclusion of pathogenic and putrefactive bacteria. In addition, Bifidobacteria are deemed to exert a preventive action against the colon cancer, in that these bacteria (and more particularly Bifidobacterium bifidum) reduce the activity of those enzymes that convert procarcinogen substances into carcinogen substances. The last-mentioned action is performed also by Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei.
Synthesis of B-group vitamins, folic acid and antioxidants, due to the action of some of the above mentioned probiotic bacteria, represents a further beneficial effect.
Only some of the above mentioned probiotic bacteria have an endogenic origin in the intestinal flora. Moreover, the intestinal bacterial flora can be reduced, become unbalanced or be eliminated not only in individuals that have been submitted to antibiotic treatments or other therapies, or suffering from inflammatory intestinal diseases, but also in apparently healthy individuals. In addition, it is for example known that concentration of Bifidobacteria in the intestines is reduced with age, which will give rise to an increase in the concentration of pathogenic and putrefactive bacteria.
It is therefore important that not only probiotic bacteria that do not have an endogenic origin should be introduced into the intestinal flora, but also that the presence of the different probiotic bacteria, in a live and viable form, should be ensured in the intestinal flora, which probiotic bacteria should have appropriate concentrations and respect suitable proportions between the different species so that they may exert synergic and balanced actions between each other, to advantage of the host's health.
Some pharmaceutical compositions containing probiotic bacteria have been proposed either to reduce imbalances in the intestinal flora or to prevent or treat some diseases. However, these pharmaceutical compositions, exactly due to the fact that they are pharmaceutical compositions, are only used occasionally and for short periods of time, and therefore do not solve the problem of increasing, supplementing and balancing the intestinal flora in a permanent and prolonged manner.
In the light of the above and taking into account the fact that in recent years there is on the part of consumers an increasing demand of foodstuffs that, in addition to having a nutritional value, also have a positive impact on health, the Applicant has identified a new problem.
More particularly, the Applicant has identified the problem of making the use of foodstuffs containing live probiotic bacteria more easily accessible to and frequent and usual with any consumers, either in good health or ill, for the purpose of increasing, supplementing and balancing the intestinal flora, which will bring about advantages in terms of everyday health and prevention of diseases.
In particular, the Applicant has identified the problem of putting on the feed market compositions containing mixtures of different live probiotic bacteria, which are capable of reaching the intestines in a live and viable form, settling in the bacterial flora and growing, thereby performing important beneficial actions for the human health.
Another problem taken into consideration by the Applicant is to formulate a composition comprising a mixture of probiotic bacteria that are selected, as regards species and proportions thereof, in such a manner as to perform their beneficial functions in a synergic manner.